As coles operates more than 750 stores across Australia, they are responsible for a large portion of energy use and subsequently account for a large amount of carbon emissions within Australia. Coles has implemented a range of energy saving initiatives to reduce their carbon footprint, which include:
With the utilization of these initiatives, Coles has been able to successfully reduce its carbon emissions since 2009. These efforts, and the proven success of the reduction in carbon emissions contributed greatly to Wesfarmers Limited (Coles’ parent company), winning the Ethical Investor magazine’s most sustainable company of the year in 2011.
Coles recycles approximately 60% of all its waste, including cardboard, plastics and metal. Coles is also a member of the Australian Packaging Covenant, which sets packaging guidelines, that not only reduce the weight of products, but ensures that where possible, recycled materials are being used. An example of this is the bottled spring water, produced by Mountatin H20, which is now 40% lighter due to an innovative bottling process that requires less fuel and water, and saves 187,000 kgs of plastic per year.
Coles is the first Australian supermarket to adopt eco Plastic™ technology for meat trays used for pre-packed beef, veal, lamb and sausage products. The trays have been developed by Victorian based manufacturer, Plantic Technologies, and contain up to 80% renewable content, using 25% less energy compared to conventional plastics. A life cycle assessment shows that over the course of 12 months, the trays used by Coles will save 13 million kWh of energy, the equivalent of powering over 2,000 Australian homes. They will also cut greenhouse gas emissions by 5,000 tonnes, which is equal to planting more than 750,000 trees.
Coles provides in-store plastic bag and green bag recycling for customers, and in September 2011, Coles expanded this service to over 100 stores in Victoria, as part of a trial to retrieve flexible or soft plastic packaging. To date, customers have returned 23.5 tonnes of plastic packaging, which have included:
The packaging is recycled by a company named Replas in Victoria, and turned into furniture for schools and kindergartens.
Due to the company's commitment to reducing its impact on the environment, Coles encourages customers to make greater use of reusable bags when shopping. To do this, a variety of recyclable bags are available to purchase in stores. In partnership with this initiative, for every 99c Landcare reusable bag that is purchased, 5c is donated to the Coles School Garden Grants Program, which provide funding to schools and other community groups in order to set up gardens. This program teaches children about both nature and the power and importance of environmental sustainability.
In July 2010, Coles announced that it would source its pork only from RSPCA approved farms, which provides customers with some security that the pork they purchase and eat, is being kept according to RSPCA’s welfare standards. Along with this decision, Coles has developed a Pork Welfare Model, that benefits not only customers but suppliers and pigs themselves. As part of this model, producers are aiming to phase out sow stalls by 2014.
Coles was also the first Australian supermarket to remove all supplies of hormone growth beef at no added cost to customers.
- Night blinds on open refrigeration cases in stores
- Automated lighting controls to reduce the lighting used by stores outside of trading hours
- Anti-condensate heater controls on glass door freezers
- Voltage optimization to limit the energy taken from the grid
With the utilization of these initiatives, Coles has been able to successfully reduce its carbon emissions since 2009. These efforts, and the proven success of the reduction in carbon emissions contributed greatly to Wesfarmers Limited (Coles’ parent company), winning the Ethical Investor magazine’s most sustainable company of the year in 2011.
Coles recycles approximately 60% of all its waste, including cardboard, plastics and metal. Coles is also a member of the Australian Packaging Covenant, which sets packaging guidelines, that not only reduce the weight of products, but ensures that where possible, recycled materials are being used. An example of this is the bottled spring water, produced by Mountatin H20, which is now 40% lighter due to an innovative bottling process that requires less fuel and water, and saves 187,000 kgs of plastic per year.
Coles is the first Australian supermarket to adopt eco Plastic™ technology for meat trays used for pre-packed beef, veal, lamb and sausage products. The trays have been developed by Victorian based manufacturer, Plantic Technologies, and contain up to 80% renewable content, using 25% less energy compared to conventional plastics. A life cycle assessment shows that over the course of 12 months, the trays used by Coles will save 13 million kWh of energy, the equivalent of powering over 2,000 Australian homes. They will also cut greenhouse gas emissions by 5,000 tonnes, which is equal to planting more than 750,000 trees.
Coles provides in-store plastic bag and green bag recycling for customers, and in September 2011, Coles expanded this service to over 100 stores in Victoria, as part of a trial to retrieve flexible or soft plastic packaging. To date, customers have returned 23.5 tonnes of plastic packaging, which have included:
- Bread bags
- Pasta bags
- Cereal bags
- Lolly bags
- Frozen foods bags
The packaging is recycled by a company named Replas in Victoria, and turned into furniture for schools and kindergartens.
Due to the company's commitment to reducing its impact on the environment, Coles encourages customers to make greater use of reusable bags when shopping. To do this, a variety of recyclable bags are available to purchase in stores. In partnership with this initiative, for every 99c Landcare reusable bag that is purchased, 5c is donated to the Coles School Garden Grants Program, which provide funding to schools and other community groups in order to set up gardens. This program teaches children about both nature and the power and importance of environmental sustainability.
In July 2010, Coles announced that it would source its pork only from RSPCA approved farms, which provides customers with some security that the pork they purchase and eat, is being kept according to RSPCA’s welfare standards. Along with this decision, Coles has developed a Pork Welfare Model, that benefits not only customers but suppliers and pigs themselves. As part of this model, producers are aiming to phase out sow stalls by 2014.
Coles was also the first Australian supermarket to remove all supplies of hormone growth beef at no added cost to customers.